-knitting  needle



O. LOBL KNITTING NEEDLE July 24, 1951 Filed March `29, 1949 Patented July 24, 1951 :1 i otto Lobl, Middleton, ivi ss ss Mfg. C0., Inc., Middlebq o,

. '""ol' Massachusetts W e K` 2,561,522

fiioFFiICE 4 'l Application M'afch 29, 1949,*1'SerialNo1l8v95 l i -invention relates timprovements l "iill'ngneedles and the like. More especially lates to reinforced plastic-knitting needles and particularly 4to an improved reinforced pointed of' `plastic tubn axially a rod-"- of" metalL *whichrno-only strengthens the needle but provides a desired resilient liveliness which is not characteristic of knitting needles which have been of plastic material throughout their cross-sections. Also, there are commercial and manufacturing advantages in using plastic materials in tubular form, in that continuous lengths of the tubing may be economically cut to approximate needle lengths, and the tubes are not required to be stiff but may be wound on reels or drums from which the material may be withdrawn as needed. The metal rod axial reinforcement which is introduced into each cut length of tubing gives it needed stiiiness coupled with the mentioned resilient liveliness.

Heretofore, however, the pointed ends of such reinforced plastic needles have been too Weak to withstand the stresses put upon them in use. The tapering pointed ends frequently break off or become bent, in service. This has been due to the prior practice of drawing and shaping the plastic at the tapering point region to provide a solid mass of plastic extending outward from the end of the metal reinforcing rod, and this tapering point, although solid of the plastic material, yields under pressure and bends or breaks at the region of abrupt termination of the reinforcement.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a plastic knitting needle, or the like, having a metallic axial reinforcing element extending a substantial distance Within a tapering pointed end portion of the needle as well as within the body extent thereof.

Another object is to provide a knitting needle, or the like, having a tube of plastic material ywithin which extends a metallic reinforcing rod, one end portion of the rod having substantial tapering extent, and one end portion of the plastic tube being formed with exterior tapering extent to the point of the needle with the said tapering end portion of the rod extending within and reinforcing the said formed tapering end portion of the plastic tube.

A further object is to provide a knitting needle, or the like, comprising a plastic tube and a metallic rod extending axially within the tube, the rod ifciaiim. (criait-inv) ?.S,f}1, c plastic knitting needles andAn especially the 'tapering end portions of such needles.

In the accompanying drawing:

. Fig. 1 is an elevational View of a knitting needle embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a medial longitudinal cross-sectional view of a plastic tube from which the outer surface portion of the needle of Fig. 1 may be formed;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a metal reinforcing rod for the tube of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 illustrates the combining of the tube and rod of Figs. 2 and 3, respectively, with a terminal head secured at one end of the tube; and

Fig. 5 illustrates the tube and rod combined as in Fig. 4 but with the plastic tube formed over the tapering end portion of the rod to provide a reinforced tapering pointed end for the completed needle.

Referring to the drawing, my improved needle comprises a metallic core rod I 0 which preferably will be of steel but which may be of any other suitably stiff and resilient metal, such as brass or aluminum. According to the invention, one end portion of rod I0 gradually tapers to provide the pointed end I2.

Mounted on rod IU is a body of material I 6 having the nature that it provides a hard and durable surface but is moldable under aheat and pressure. The material I 6 may be of any of various available thermo-plastic materials of which nylon and vinyl resin products are examples. If desired, the material I6 may be molded around the core rod I0 but, in a preferred form, the material I6 will be tubes of plastic material of indenite length from which lengths approximating needle lengths may be cut as needed. Nylon tubes and tubes made of various available synthetic resins, such as available vinyl resin products, for example, provide the needed hard and durable surfaces with a suitable amount of stiffness, yet long lengths of the tubing conveniently may be wound` on drums or reels to facilitate handling and storage, and the tubing may be withdrawn and cut as needed.

The axial hole I8 through the tubing will be of diameter to nicely receive therein one of the rods lll, with an end portion of a cut length of tion of the tube is softened by heat and molded under heat and pressure around the tapering part an end of the core element, an end cap mounted over said registering ends of the tube and element andsecured to the tube Witha Wall of the end cap yconstituting an abutment limiting axial movement of the core element in one direction,

said core element, at its opposite end, having a portion of substantial extent gradually tapering awith its smaller diameter at said opposite end,

I2 to provide a smoothly tapering end portion' 26 f on the needle as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, so that the main extent of this tapering point portion of the moldedplastic material is axially reinforced by the tapering portion I2 of rod l0.

Theinvention effectively overcomesk the pri'o'r problem of bending and breaking off of the pointed end portions of reinforced plastic knitting needles as heretofore constructed, and my improved needles have a superior degreeof resilient vliveliness as compared with all priorcomparable K needles of which I am aware.

I claim as my invention:

Y. Aknitting needle .comprising a metallic corel element, a tube of moldable material on the core `element with one end of the tubein register with said tube being molded to gradually tapering form around said tapering end portion of the core element, with said abutment wall of the end cap preventing relative movement of the rod and tube during application of the molding pressure.

OTTO LOBL.

REFERENCES CITED "The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED `STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,258,925 Burg Oct..14, 1941 y FOREIGN PATENTS Number Countryl Date v 392,667 Great Britain May 25, 1933 466,523 Great Britain May 31, 1937 468,316 Great Britain July 2, 1937 

